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Nurse Tells Iain Of Racism Received By NHS Staff Following Brexit Vote

24 February 2017, 09:27

Here a nurse tells Iain Dale that she and some of her NHS colleagues are considering leaving Britain because of racism after the Brexit vote.

The British Medical Association (BMA) has warned that four in 10 European doctors are considering leaving the UK following the Brexit vote, leaving the NHS at risk.

A survey carried out by the BMA of EEA (European Economic Area) doctors working across the UK found that many feel "substantially less appreciated" and "committed" after the EU referendum.

One nurse, Freda, phoned Iain Dale on his drive-time LBC show during a discussion about the survey.

She said: "What is happening is true, to what extent I do not know, but I can tell you a very good friend of mine who is a GP and is not from Eastern Europe, but has an accent, is white, was told after a home visit, by a patient, because the patient didn't like the outcome of the consultation, told her that 'we are going to deport you very soon, you're going to be out of this country'.

"She has worked in this country for 17 years. It is just appalling.

"I have received similar. People ask me where I'm from, and I consider myself a dual-citizen of the United Kingdom and my home country. At the moment we are actively considering relocating to the United States because nurses like me are sought after very, very much.

"I actually forgot to say as well, I know one doctor who is leaving today actually, flying out to move to a different part of the world because she can't take it anymore.

"She wears a hijab, and she's been attacked personally for that. So it's true, it's happening, but I don't know how bad it is."

Iain asked: "Are you thinking of moving to America because of Brexit?"

Freda responded: "Not directly because of Brexit, because I think some of the facts within that are quite justified, but what has the attitudes of the general population around Britain, whether they understand what Brexit actually means."

Iain responded: "There's always going to be the odd idiot who will come out with horrible stuff. That's always been the case, why would someone think about changing their whole life, and going to another country, because of maybe what one or two idiots have said?"

Freda said: "I personally had never heard about this before until Brexit, but more and more colleagues, and unfortunately it's like oh you know 'do you know what a patient said to this doctor?' or something like that.

"I can tell you more doctors that are at work now, or sleeping preparing for a shift, but those stories are increasing. They are very true...I have experienced something myself."

She went on: "Sometimes it is not even within the workplace, you are outside, you're at Tesco or somewhere...you're being treated like a 'foreigner'...but I am a highly-skilled immigrant.

"I came to this country as a highly-skilled immigrant, I am a PHD student right now as well, and I am contributing very well to this community, why am I being treated like this at work?"